10. Auburn vs. Alabama

The Iron Bowl. This game is a true death-match that separates a state. In Alabama, you either are a Tiger or scream “Roll Tide!”

There is no middle ground. This series is so hard fought and is a treat for any sports fan to watch. Both teams have achieved national prominence in recent years and this is a rivalry that looks to grow even bigger, if that’s possible.

The series has belonged to Alabama so far, who leads with 41 wins and only 34 losses.

These are two teams who hate each other and always make for exciting football.

4. Duke vs. North Carolina

It is easy to hate a team who is routinely ranked in the Top 10, who you have to beat to achieve national dominance. It is even easier to hate a program that is located just eight miles away from your own school.

Such is the case with Duke and North Carolina. Both teams are always at the top of the college basketball world. Every time they face, it is an instant classic—shown this February when Duke guard Austin Rivers drained the game-winning three-pointer as time expired.

3. Ohio State vs. Michigan

I’m an Ohio State fan in a family of Michigan lovers. How that happened, I have no idea, but I have a lot of experience with this rivalry, which is one of the best in college football.

Michigan leads the storied rivalry 58–43. These two teams have been the face of college football for quite a while and always have the last game of the year circled and re-circled and circled again.

From the “10-Year War” to “One vs. Two,” this series has seen it all.

With Urban Meyer becoming the new head coach in Columbus and Brady Hoke having a BCS bowl season in his first year in Ann Arbor, it will be interesting to see what direction the rivalry will go next as a new chapter unfolds.

2. Lakers vs. Celtics

The drama, the fanfare, the excitement. It must only be Lakers vs. Celtics.

This is hands down the greatest rivalry in basketball and is truly exciting.

During the first decade of the NBA in the 1950s, the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty. Then in 1959, Bob Cousy and his Celtics swept the Lakers in the NBA Championship and became the new dynasty.

In the 1960s, Bill Russell and Boston would rule over Jerry West and Los Angeles. But in the 1980s, this rivalry hit its prime. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird carried their personal rivalry from college over to the NBA and helped make the Lakers and the Celtics dominate.

There was a lull until Kobe Bryant and the Big Three rejuvenated the rivalry recently.